How do you add #1/3+1/9#?

2 Answers

Take the larger of the two numbers in the denominator and then use addition for each term.

Explanation:

#1/3 + 1/9 = (3+1)/9 = 4/9.#

You add the multiples for the numerator.

Aug 14, 2016

#4/9#

A fuller explanation about method given.

Explanation:

#color(blue)("2 very important facts about fraction")#

#color(red)("Fact 1")#

You can not #ul("directly")# add or subtract fractions top numbers (numerators) unless the bottom numbers (denominators) are the same.

Consider:

#("numerator")/("denominator")->("count")/("size indicator of what you are counting")#

#1/2# you have a count of 1 but it takes 2 of what you are counting
#color(white)(....)#to make a whole of something (all of it).

#2/5# you have a count of 2 but it takes 5 of what you are counting
#color(white)(....)#to make a whole of something (all of it).

'...........................................................................................................
#color(white)(.)#

#color(red)("Fact 2")#

Multiply by 1 and you do not change the intrinsic value.

Multiply by 1 in another form and you can change the way a fraction looks without changing its intrinsic value.
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Answering your question")#

Given:#" "1/3+1/9#

Multiply #1/3# by 1 but in the form of #1=3/3#

#color(brown)( (1/3xx1)+1/9 color(blue)(" "=" "(1/3xx3/3)+ 1/9#
#color(white)(.)#

#(1xx3)/(3xx3)+1/9" "=" "3/9+1/9" " =" " 4/9#